Can opener and sealer



Sept. 27, 1938. .1. H. MULCAHY CANOPENER AND SEALER Filed Aug. 15, 1936 yfluvimon BY @661 ATTORNEYS r Patented Sept. 27, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Y 2 Claims.

This invention relates to can openers, and its general object is to provide a device of that character that is primarily designed for use on cans of liquid, such as condensed milk, juices and the like and is capable of punching a pouring opening and a vent opening in the top of a can, in an easy and expeditious manner and with minimum effort.

A further object of the invention is to provide a can opener in the form of a stopper, in that it includes sealing means for the openings punched thereby, so that the contents of the can will be retained in a fresh, clean and sanitary condition until completely consumed or poured therefrom.

Another object is to provide a combined can opener and sealing device, that includes a handle which likewise acts as a guide for placing the pouring opening adjacent to the edge of the can, to facilitate the pouring of the contents therefrom.

A still further object is to provide a combined can opener and sealing device that is simple in construction, inexpensive to manufacture and extremely efficient in operation, use and service.

This invention also consists in certain other features of construction and in the combination and arrangement of the several parts, to be hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawing and specifically pointed out in the appended claims.

3 In describing the invention in detail, reference will be had to the accompanying drawing wherein like characters denote like or corresponding parts throughout the several views, and in which:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary sectional view taken 35 through one form of my invention, applied to a can, after an opening has been punched therein, to act as a sealing means for the opening.

Figure 2 is a view of a modified form. Figure 3 is a top plan view of the form as shown 40 in Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a longitudinal sectional view taken through the form as shown in Figure 1.

Figure 5 is a bottom plan view of the form shown in Figures 1 and 4.

45 Referring to the drawing in detail, it will be noted that the form of the invention as disclosed in Figures 1, 4 and 5 includes an elongated body I having extending through the ends thereof the shank 2 of the punching members that have 00 formed on the outer ends thereof conical heads 3 provided with penetrating points 4 at their outer ends, while the inner end portions are provided with channel grooves surrounding the shanks, as best shown in Figure 1, for a purpose which will 55 be presently described.

The inner ends of the shanks are threaded as at 5 to receive nuts 6 which are countersunk in recesses l in the upper surfaces of the body I, and surrounding the shanks are tapered sleeves 8 formed from rubber or other pliable material, with 5 their upper or enlarged ends countersunk in the undersurfaces of the body, while their small or lower ends are received in the grooves of the head. It will be noted that the lower ends of the sleeves are of a diameter to be flush with the upper edges 10 of the heads, and that feature is clearly shown in Figure l.

The body I has formed on one end thereof a handle 9 which is disposed at right angles with respect to the body and in a manner to depend l5 therefrom for the purpose of engaging one edge of the top of a can, as shown in Figure 4, so as to not only act as a handle for applying and removing the device, but also as guide means so that the pouring opening punched by the adjacent punch- 20 ing member will be disposed adjacent to the outer edge of the top of the can to facilitate pouring the contents therefrom. A like handle may be provided on the opposite end of the body as will be apparent. In any event, one of the punching mem- 25 bers is arranged adjacent the handle, for the purpose set forth.

In Figures 2 and 3 I have illustrated individual punching members that are used separate and distinct from each other, or in other words not in connected pairs, as shown in the form of Figures l, 4 and 5, and the only difference between the form of Figures 2 and 3 and that of the other figures, is the fact that a disk body I0 is provided therefor and which has the shank extending therethrough and held thereon by a nut in the same manner as best shown in Figure 1, the nut being countersunk in the body H), as will be apparent.

In the form of Figures 1, 4 and 5, it will be obvious that the openings can be punched simultaneously in the top of the can, merely by applying the penetrating points of the punching members thereto, and punching upon the body I, and for distinction the opening provided by the punching member adjacent to the handle 9 is indicated by the reference numeral H, and acts as a pouring opening, while the other opening l2 acts in the capacity as a vent opening.

The punching members of Figures 2 and 3 are preferably used in pairs, one for providing the pouring opening, and the other the vent opening, so that they can be used as sealing means for the openings punched thereby, it being obvious that after the openings have been punched, the punching members can be readily removed and replaced with respect to the openings, and when disposed therein, the sleeves 0 seal the same, as clearly shown in Figures 1 and 4.

It is thought from the foregoing description that the advantages and novel features of the invention will be readily apparent.

It is to be understood that changes may be made in the construction and in the combination and arrangement of the several parts, provided that such changes fall within the scope of the appended claims. Y

What I claim is:

l. A can opening device comprising a body, punching member secured thereto and including a shank. a conical punching head formed on the lower end of the shank and having a groove in the upper end thereof surrounding the shank, and tapered pliable means surrounding the shank substantially the entire length thereof and having its ends countersunk in the body and the groove respectively, the lower end of the pliable means bes,1s1,sos

ing flush with the upper edge of the head and said pliable means adapted to enter an opening punched by the head so as to seal the opening.

2. A can opening device comprising a handled elongated body, a pair of punching members secured to and depending from the body in parallelism with each other, each punching member including a shank extending through the body and having a threaded upper end, a nut countersunk in the body and threaded to the upper end of the shank, a conical punching head formed on the lower end of the shank and having a groove in the upper end thereof and surrounding the shank, a tapered pliable sleeve surrounding the shank subst tially the entire length thereof and having its en countersunk in the body and the groove respectively, the lower end of the sleeve being flush with the upper edge of the head and said sleeve adapted to enter an opening punched by the head so as to seal the opening.

JAMES H. MULCAHY. 

